Why does one person score higher than the other?

[krtel]

I took the ACT today. I put in over 150 relentless hours of study. I took it and I am certain I got an average score. However, this is not what I was aiming for! I come from a academically disadvantaged background - but does that have anything to do with it? I mean, I studied a lot for this test. I know people who can study less hours than I did, and score significantly higher! Why is this? Is this because they are smarter than me? *sigh*

Krish

[proteus]

could be /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif . Everyone\'s not an Einstein y\'know. I\'m sure everyone knows someone who\'s \"book smarter\" than they are. In the end so what? You\'re still far ahead of a lot more folk so you should have a good future ahead of you - that\'s what you should focus on. And BTW there are folks who were \"smarter\" than me on tests in school who are not doing as well as I am now, so how you do on a test doesn\'t define your life.

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I took the ACT today. I put in over 150 relentless hours of study. I took it and I am certain I got an average score. However, this is not what I was aiming for! I come from a academically disadvantaged background - but does that have anything to do with it? I mean, I studied a lot for this test. I know people who can study less hours than I did, and score significantly higher! Why is this? Is this because they are smarter than me? *sigh*

Krish

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[Holmes]

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could be /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif . Everyone\'s not an Einstein y\'know. I\'m sure everyone knows someone who\'s \"book smarter\" than they are. In the end so what?

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Yeah, the concept that there are different types of \"smartness\" (not including the wise-ass variety /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif) or intelligence seems to be overlooked--\"book smarts\" being given the highest acclaim. More than possible to be smart and yet not perform up to par on tests (sorry to state the obvious). Maybe those other people who did well have just dialed in on a study method that works really efficiently for them. Or maybe you just had an off day... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif


Holmes

[EXIT63]

FTR told me that those tests are culturally biased!

[Bruce]

The way I remember it, the ACT is based on accumulated knowledge from your studies rather than your IQ or problem solving ability. If you entered the US school system from abroad, I wouldn\'t feel too bad about doing average. In fact, you probably deserve a big pat on the back for all your hard work in getting that far. By the way, if you just took those in your Jr year of HS, you can take them again next year and considerably up your scores.

I was always proud of my math SAT score which I flatter myself into thinking is more of a smarts thing than my ACT scores which were more or less average for college bound kids as I remember.

Bruce

[krtel]

Well, the ability to do the work isn\'t the problem. Well, ok, for math it is. But I have a weak math background (I didn\'t have any good math teachers.) so that would explain that. I scored well on English. The problem I\'m concerned about is the Reading and Science Reasoning sections. If untimed, I can get a perfect score on both. However, if I am timed, I can\'t get many of them done, thus my score suffers. My accuracy rate suffers when I speed up, which is the problem.

Krish

[DrSmellThis]

Bruce submitted a fine, accurate post.

ACTs varies more than SAT\'s with cultural differences, and reflects the whole environmental history, as well as a moment in time, to a significant degree. You are obviously one with very good innate intelligence, inasmuch as I can judge such things. But your innate intelligence is not what was being measured. ACT\'s have to do with academic achievement.

Scores also vary with stress, emotional state, and ability to concentrate/pay attention. I did outstandingly well on many standardized general aptitude tests (Iowa, PSAT, SAT, GRE), for instance, but completely tanked my LSATs the week after getting dumped by a LT girlfriend. (Like, I went from absolute top of the scale scores, to a \"no law school would ever accept you in a million years\" score.) I remember in particular the \"analogies\" section -- normally a strength -- I got 100% of the ones I answered correct, (similar to your situation) but totally flunked the section after \"staring at the walls\" too much while the clock was ticking. I was depressed into \"stupidity\". Untreated ADD has a similar effect, causing people with ADD, who tend to be bright, to consistently have their IQ\'s underestimated.

You have nothing to worry about. It is meaningless. If you want a great score, just take lots of practice tests on the clock for next time. Also, better to be well rested than well studied.

[CptKipling]

Face it, the system sucks where ever you are, you just need to learn how to milk it. Not that that\'s an easy thing.

[Holmes]

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Face it, the system sucks where ever you are, you just need to learn how to milk it. Not that that\'s an easy thing.

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\"Break the rules before they break you!\" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


Holmes

[belgareth]

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</font><blockquote><font class=\"small\">Quote:</font><hr />
Face it, the system sucks where ever you are, you just need to learn how to milk it. Not that that\'s an easy thing.

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\"Break the rules before they break you!\" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


Holmes

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Or make up your own rules.